


Could He?

by keepitdreamin



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M, Science Boyfriends, Science Bros
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-01
Updated: 2015-04-01
Packaged: 2018-03-20 17:51:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3659565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keepitdreamin/pseuds/keepitdreamin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony and Bruce realize how they feel about each other...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

 

EDIT: This work can now be found in German [here](http://www.fanfiktion.de/s/55edb7ea0003d1d92cae8a04/1/Could-he-Ubersetzung) thanks to [generalmalfoy](http://www.fanfiktion.de/u/generalmalfoy).[  
](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/6849476/)

 

 

 

* * *

 

**SHIELD HELLICARRIER**

**10:05 AM**

Tony eyed the room critically from behind his specially made darker than dark sunglasses. The Avengers  _(-Thor)_ sat silently around the conference table. His new friends  _(only friends -besides Pepper and Rhodey- if I'm being completely honest with myself… which I rarely am)_  were gathered in the main SHIELD meeting room looking apprehensively at anything besides each other…

_Except Brucey_. Bruce was sitting back calmly studying all of them. When he caught Tony looking at him ( _How could he tell I was looking at him behind these glasses?_ ), he shook his head slightly in disapproval, and Tony heaved an inward sigh.  _Even science bros can be very different._

_Well,_  Tony thought,  _it might be less about being different and more about dragging myself in over half an hour late with a hangover and still rumpled clothes._

_Not that Bruce looks that much better. (Well… he actually looks really good…) Minus the hangover and being so late. The slight stubble on his broad, square jaw and adorable (did I just think adorable? No! I don't think adorable! I'm not a teenage girl with a crush!) creased brow testified to the fact he probably hadn't gone to sleep yet. He, however, most likely spent his night in one of the labs, not with one of America's top models,_  He smirked to himself.  _Although… I'd much rather have spent the night with Bruce… preferably not in the lab… No! Stop that right now Tony! You. Do. Not. Have. A. Crush. On. Your. Best. Friend… besides, YOU might be bi… but he's probably straight… but maybe he isn't… No! Stop thinking that! But oh. My. God. He just ran a hand through that crazy messed up head of his. How sexy is that? Ok… You might have a crush but STOP. THINKING. ABOUT. IT!_

He yawned and ran a hand through his own messy hair.  _Who calls meetings at 9:30 anyways? Certainly NOT Stark Industries. Oh no. Pep knows better than to count on me first thing in the morning…_ He wondered idly if SHIELD would approve of Pepper scheduling the rest of the Avengers' interactions for a more appropriate time.  _After noon definitely. Gives me plenty of time for me and Bruce in the morning… I said STOP that!_

He was lazily running through the probabilities of Director Eyepatch allowing that, when he realized that even though everyone was now here  _(-Thor of course, but you couldn't really count on Shakespeare in the Park to make it to such trivial things as team meetings)_ no one was talking. The room, though with 6 people in it, was nearly completely silent.

Tony Stark didn't hate a lot of things, but one thing he couldn't stand was extended periods of silence. Even if he had a killer headache. _Ugh… why didn't I stay in with Bruce last night? We could've done science-y things and… well… nothing else… wait… yeah. That's why I went out. Because I spend all my time with Bruce NOT having sex. I'll have to fix that… not right now. Meeting right now. Wait… silence right now… AHHHH!_  He rubbed his own stubbled jaw and counted silently to 10. His breathing shallowed slightly as a panic attack bubbled at the back of his mind. Finally he couldn't stand it anymore…

"So… DC, you've flashed the Bat Signal and you've got us…" he tilted his glasses down and waggled his eyebrows suggestively, "now what are you gonna do with us?"

* * *

 

Bruce chuckled silently to himself as everyone's heads snapped up from their own little worlds and spun round to face Tony, who was grinning snarkily underneath his glasses. Bruce however saw beneath that familiar mask down to the barely noticeable tensing of his shoulders, the slight paling of his cheeks, and the whitened knuckles of just unclenched fists now resting on the table.

_Congratulations Tony,_  Bruce thought with a mental hat tip,  _2 whole minutes. A new record._ Bruce understood Tony's need for noise. To always be, or have someone, talking or to always have his music blaring; they were both ways for him to drown out his own thoughts. His memories.

Bruce understood because, before his… incident, he did the same thing. Silence brought on memories of his mother… and… his… father… But now the Hulk was always in the back of his mind; an angry, but comforting, growl when there was no external noise to distract his thoughts.

He hadn't needed the Hulk's distractions for a while now though. Tony had wheedled him into visiting Stark Tower properly after the Loki incident. And when Tony "learned" about him not having a place to stay (besides the SHIELD hellicarrier- which he wasn't exactly too eager to return to then anyways) he'd been given his own floor… and access to everywhere in the Tower. He'd only planned to stay a few days… but a few days stretched into a week… which stretched into a few weeks… and was now rounding on 5 months. 5 months of spending nearly every waking moment with Tony working (and listening to his music… or more frequently, him)… or when Pepper (who was still Tony's friend and still stayed at the tower managing his life despite them having broken up less than 2 weeks after the Loki incident) had to march into whatever lab they were in that day and drag them out to eat, bathe, sleep… anything normal people would do. She'd even had JARVIS lock them out of any labs for days at a time. This had practically forced him and Tony to talk and hang out outside of a strictly scientific atmosphere.

Bruce had been sure that when Tony talked to him  **not** about science, he wouldn't like him. How could they be more different? But, as it turned out, he and Tony had a lot more in common than he originally thought. They never ran out of things to talk about. Well, Tony talked mostly and Bruce would throw in a comment, an opinion or a well placed joke and kept the conversation alive. But sometimes, when it got on a topic he was interested in… he could match Tony for talking without stopping.

Throughout their several Pepper imposed exiles from the labs, they had gone through a lot of Tony's extensive movie collection, from some of their favorite classics to some newer ones that Bruce had missed when he had been on the run. Tony had even opted to stay in most nights with Bruce instead of going to a party and coming home with a woman on his arm. Of course, every now and then ( _like last night_ ) he did just that. He always tried to get Bruce to come with him, but he always politely declined opting to work, or even sometimes sleep. After once walking into their shared kitchen and "interrupting" Tony and his "date," Bruce made sure to have JARVIS alert him when Tony came home with someone and if they were in an… "inconvenient"… spot. Tony had just laughed about it the next day, but, Bruce noticed afterward, he seemed to try to stay out of places he knew Bruce might wander into.

And their friendship had seemed to cement itself after one night when Tony had literally crashed on the couch in the lab instead of dragging himself to his room and Bruce had been too deep in an experiment to even think about sleep, and Bruce had been let into Tony's other side. He had already caught glimpses of it: in the way he would pause before replying to certain things; the way he would take longer, deeper drinks some nights; the way he held himself when talking to anyone besides Pepper and, surprisingly, Bruce too. But that night he had witnessed one of Tony's nightmares. Bruce didn't notice at first, but when Tony started whimpering, he had looked over. Tony was curled into himself, hands clawing at his chest… at the Arc Reactor, his face twisting in pain and fear, and his whimpers quickly escalating to yells and crying. Bruce had frozen for a moment but his feet seemed to understand he needed to be on the other side of the room and had dragged him there before he even realized what was going on. He had woken Tony then: knelt beside the couch, grabbed Tony's arms to keep him from tearing up his own chest and had JARVIS blast Black Sabbath. Tony woke trembling and completely vulnerable and immediately latched onto Bruce. Arms flung over him and head buried into his wide shoulder, he shook and sobbed. Bruce had wrapped his own arms around his friend's back, supporting his quivering form and firmly ignoring the flutter in his own chest as theirs were pressed together.

Tony had eventually calmed down. His body relaxed, his sobs subsided, and his breathing evened out. He had held onto Bruce for a few moments more, causing that annoying flutter in his chest that he got around Tony to flare up again, then pulled away. Bruce stood and cautiously studied Tony's face. Tony laughed nervously, "Sorry you had to see that, Big Guy." He shakily stood and Bruce had reached out again and steadied him ( _Stupid flutter)._  "Thanks," Tony mumbled. Bruce frowned slightly, Tony  **never** mumbled.

As he had walked (stumbled) a few steps away from Bruce and the couch, Bruce finally spoke, "Where are you going?"

Tony didn't turn back as he answered, "Kitchen."

"I'll come with you." Bruce had followed Tony concernedly as they made their way to the kitchen. Tony immediately went for the bar.

As he pulled out a bottle of scotch, Bruce stepped forward and grabbed the bottle away from him, "No."

Tony had looked up surprised. Bruce was too, though he didn't let Tony see it. He might have rolled his eyes at Tony's drinking before, even said something about it once, but he had  **never**  actually taken away his drink. Well, a couple times when Tony had been so sloshed he was surprised he was still conscious, but never when Tony had still been sober. "What?" he asked shocked.

Bruce eyed him, concern written all over his face, "I said no drinking. And, before you protest… as your doctor, I have every right to do that."

"When'd you become my doctor?" Tony asked incredulously.

Bruce had sighed, set the scotch well away from Tony, and ran a tired hand through his hair, "After your impromptu visit to space. When you  **refused**  to go to a hospital, and I had to construct a medical bay in one of your labs. If you recall, you officially appointed me your doctor then."

Tony had stood in the kitchen, eyes squinted in thought, for a full minute before he had sighed and thrown his hands up. "You're right," he grumbled. He had flopped himself into a bar stool cradling his head in his arms before muffledly asking Bruce, "Well doctor, riddle me this: if I can't drink, what am I supposed to do now that I'm not going back to sleep?"

Bruce had sighed and sank into the chair beside him, "You talk."

Tony's head jerked up and he had just stared at Bruce. "You… want to… hear it?"

Bruce nodded, "You're my friend Tony. And, as your friend, I can't just let something like that slide. If you talk to someone, it helps. It really does."

Tony had eyed him with something Bruce couldn't identify, before dropping his head onto the table and covering it with his arms, "Does it? Because the doctors Pep forced me to see…  **after** … they told me that, but none of them seemed confident on it."

Bruce had exhaled roughly and rubbed his stubbled jaw, "Yeah, it does, when you tell it to someone you trust. And I can be confidant on it because… well because it helped me."

"Really?" Tony had sounded interested from beneath his arms, "You talked to someone about being the Hulk?"

"No…" Bruce had sighed again. "This was before the Hulk even existed."

Tony had stayed silent for long enough that Bruce started to think he might have fallen asleep when he spoke again, "Oh… I'm sorry I brought that up… I mean… I've read your file… I just didn't… connect that… sorry."

"It's fine. And anyways, this isn't the night to talk about  **my**  past. We were talking about your nightmare."

Tony had sighed again but brought himself out from under his arms, "Fine I'll talk, but I need something to drink… even if it's non-alcoholic…" Bruce automatically stood, grabbed a glass from the counter and headed for the sink to get him some water when Tony cried out, " **No!**  I mean…  **Anything**  but water… Please."

Bruce had nodded and turned back to the other man who looked more shaken now, "Is tea alright?"

Tony wearily nodded and Bruce grabbed a kettle, "You can start talking while I make this." Tony nodded again and placing his face into his hands, he started. Started at the weapons demonstration. By the time the tea was ready, he was at the cave, waking up with a car battery the only thing keeping him alive. His hands were shaking so badly, he could barely hold his cup and Bruce had to keep his hands over Tony's for the first couple of sips so he didn't spill it. Bruce sat patiently beside Tony as he illustrated him and Yinsen making the Reactor, and carefully maneuvered him to the couch in the living room when he started shaking again as Yinsen died. He had leaned against Bruce's shoulder as he described Obie's betrayal… and by the time he got to the Palladium poisoning and SHIELD scrapping the Avengers Initiative, he was laying across the couch, head on Bruce's lap, eyes already drifting closed, and words slurring sleepily.

As he had finally closed his eyes, Bruce looked down at the man who trusted him enough to share that and who wasn't even scared to fall asleep on him. His heart fluttered again. He did NOT think of Tony that way. Anyways… with the Hulk… it wouldn't be possible for him…

He had felt the Hulk rise a couple times that night but he had simply seemed interested in Tony's story. Now, as he rubbed his eyes tiredly and Tony mumbled in his sleep, the Hulk rose again. Bruce was too tired to squash him down now, hopefully he wouldn't smash Tony…

But instead of trying to come out, he simply looked through Bruce's eyes down at Tony. Then, almost conversationally, he grumbled inside of Bruce's head,  _ **Tin Man brave. Tin Man trust puny Bruce… Trust Hulk. Tin Man friend. Hulk not smash friend.**_ Bruce was startled to say the least. This was the first time the Hulk had  **spoken**  to him. He didn't know the Hulk could  **do**  that. The Hulk snorted inside his head,  _ **Of course Hulk can. Hulk can do anything.**_

_But… but why_ _now_ _?_

_**You not pushing now. You always afraid. You always push Hulk away. Tin Man don't push Hulk away,**_ Hulk sounded reproachful.

_I…I'm… sorry… Hulk._

… _ **Hulk sorry too. When Hulk come out, people scared, people shoot, so Hulk smash… Cuz of Hulk people scared of you too. Hulk make Bruce scared too. Hulk smash things and Bruce run. You protect Hulk, even if you is afraid of Hulk.**_

_Well… Hulk… I'll be sure to talk to you more often. And let you out more. As long as you know what you can smash and can't… by the way, Tin Man's name is Tony…_

Hulk laughed quietly,  _ **Hulk like Tony. Tony not scared of Bruce… Tony nice to Bruce. Make Bruce happy. Hulk will listen to him when Bruce let Hulk out… Hulk… even let Bruce see when Hulk out.**_

_Thank you Hulk…_

_**Hulk leave. Puny Bruce needs sleep now.** _

_Goodnight Hulk._

_**Goodnight puny Bruce** _

Bruce had felt the Hulk slide into the back of his mind and had rested one arm on Tony's shoulders. Tony snuggled into him, seeking warmth in his sleep and Bruce smiled, content.

Now that same rumble brought him out of thought and back into the present, alerting him to the fact Fury was now through dealing with Tony,  _Poor Tony with his adorable rumpled clothes and dark glasses_ , and was actually starting the meeting.  _Thanks Big Guy,_  he thought to the Hulk. He could almost hear the Hulk's loud laugh in his ears before he turned most of his attention back to Director Fury.

Tony sighed. Here he was, being called into a mandatory meeting at 9:30 (he didn't get there till 10... But still! He was there!) and it was to discuss… paperwork. "Because," Fury growled as he looked pointedly at him, "it has come to my attention that SOME of you still haven't turned in paperwork for the New York incident, and that was 5 months ago! And SOME of you who DID turn in paperwork," this time he swiveled to glare at Hawk-Ass, "It is SO woefully inadequate… I find it hard to believe you were even awake when it was written. Only two of you," pointed looks to Spangles ( _Stupid Capsicle)_ and Spider-Bite  _(Scary AND a suck up?! Not fair!)_ , "seem to have any clue what happened. And only one of you," Fury turned to look at Bruce ( _Hey! Bruce is mine to look at! Keep your creepy spy eye away! Okay… I have it bad… damn it! Why did I have to fall for Bruce? Craptastic.)_  "has an excuse to NOT file paperwork." Brucey looked down guiltily ( _Hey! Stop making Bruce guilty!)_  and a blush crept up his neck and heated his cheeks  _(sigh… you're adorable Bruce! And oh. My. God. STOP running your hands through your hair!)_

"Ummm…" Bruce mumbled  _(Sigh)_ "Actually… I've kind of… well…"  _(It's okay Brucey! I love shy, nerdy guys…)_

"Well what?" Fury glared.  _(Stop that Eyepatch!)_

"Well… I've talked to the Hulk…" Bruce glanced at Tony who smirked back  _(oh yeah! Hulk likes me! Total softy too, once he isn't scared. And when he de-Hulkifies and Bruce isn't wearing clothes… Mmmmmm…)._  Bruce blushed as he looked at Tony and quickly glanced back to Fury  _(Why'd he get embarrassed? He couldn't know what I was thinking… no. He blushed cuz he saw me smile at him? Hmmm…")_ "And well… he's more sentient than we thought. Over the past couple months, I've gotten to  **know**  him and he wants to tell you that he's 'sorry for smashing puny sky fortress' and that he 'wants to help with…' " Bruce let out a startled laugh making Tony's heart flutter  _(sigh….)._ "Well, he says since  **I**  can't remember the…" another laugh and more fluttering, "the 'Puny God incident' that he would help with 'puny paperwork.' " Silence. Bruce speaks up again, mirth barely contained, "And he'd like to let you all know that he nothing as puny as paper could defeat him… but he grudgingly asks for someone's instruction in writing it down."

"Why don't you just show him how?"  _(Shut up Featherhead!)_

Before Bruce could answer Fury grinned  _(Oh shit. That's never good… well not good for me anyways…),_ "No, Agent Barton… I like this idea. Tonight, you will all meet here and fill out the paperwork."

"Ummm…" Bruce hesitates  _(sigh… can't I just kiss you Bruce?)_  "Hulk would actually prefer it if he didn't have to come back to the 'sky fortress.' He hasn't forgotten the plane you know. That shot at him." Bruce glared at Fury  _(Oh my fucking GOD Bruce! Be angry more often without turning green!)_ "Oh," Bruce looked at Natasha, "And he wants to say that he was frightened… and the reason he attacked you… well, attacked because you were there… but chased you down was because… well because you weren't nice to me."

Natasha laughed, "Because I wasn't  **nice**  to you?"  _(stop laughing at my Brucey scary Spider!)_

Bruce grinned too,  _(You're forgiven Spider)_  "Yeah. He was protecting me. Somewhat. The only way he knew how."

"Okay… well, if Hulk doesn't want the paperwork done here? Where?" Fury was looking even more agitated.

Bruce glanced at Tony and nervously licked his lips  _(… did the reactor just stop? No? because it felt like it did… I'm… Jesus… I'm fucking in LOVE! AHHHH!)_ "Well, if it's alright with Tony of course, he'd prefer to have it at the Tower." Tony nodded numbly.  _(I'm in love? When did this happen? I mean… I was_ _attracted_ _to him since like… well since I met him… I mean sexy scientist? But when, over the last 5 months did I fall in love?… cuz I might have just realized it… but I've been in love for a while… hmmmm….)_

Fury grinned, "That's good too, Dr. Banner, I'm making it your job to make sure Tony attends and fills out his paperwork along with the Hulk." Bruce nodded, and Fury spun to glare at Hawkeye, "And it is Agent Romanoff's job to make sure YOU fill out yours."

Hawkeye glanced over to his partner who was casually filing her nails… with a dagger. He gulped, "No problem sir."

Fury glanced over to Captain Rogers, "And Rogers?"

"Yes sir?" he sat up straighter.

"Since Romanoff will be busy watching over Barton, you will have to look over Stark's and Hulk's."

"Yes sir."

Fury glanced around the room: Romanoff was smiling sweetly at Barton, almost made a shudder run down HIS spine; Stark was sitting like something had stunned him, good, he's not talking; Dr. Banner was looking worriedly at Stark, and for a second his eyes flashed green; and Rogers was sitting up straight, waiting to be dismissed. Like a fucking kindergarten. He sighed, "Avengers Dismissed." He strode out of the room; glad that he wouldn't have to be there tonight to watch after them…

 


	2. Chapter 2

**STARK TOWER**

**6:29 PM**

Tony glanced up from his work once again and gazed at Bruce's back. He was swiveled away from where Tony was adding some more gadgets to his Iron Man suit. He'd only realized that morning that he was in love, but now it was all he could think about.  _Tony Stark does not fall in love. Well… I fell in love with Pepper… but… we're better off friends. We were NOT good together. God, we were awful. But now… this isn't Pepper, the girl I've been flirting with for years, this is Bruce. The man I have been… well, flirting with for only 5 months._

He glanced back down at his suit.  _God. I'm in trouble._  He couldn't even remember what he had been doing.  _Can I tell Bruce? Do I dare? Wait… does Bruce even know I'm bi? I mean… have I been with a man since then?_  Tony thought as he checked his blueprints again.  _No… not since before Pepper. And since we broke up, and I started falling for Bruce, it felt too wrong to pick up a guy…_ He exhaled and scratched his head. Sweat dripped down his forehead. He glanced around for a towel or something, and, not finding one close enough to be worth the effort, he shrugged off his shirt and wiped his forehead. He stretched popping his back.

He heard a soft rustle behind him. He turned, curious, and found a very flushed Bruce Banner who had apparently dropped a stack of papers. As Tony turned, he noticed how Bruce blushed even more, and knelt on the ground to scoop up some papers. He smirked and made his way over, kneeling beside Bruce. "Here, let me help." Bruce looked at him, surprised.  _Do I really never actually help out that it's surprising?_  Then Tony noticed Bruce's concentration was not on the papers anymore. It was on Tony's chest.  _Oh right. Shirt._  Bruce seemed captivated by the Arc Reactor. Tony wracked his brain, thinking if he's ever showed Bruce the Reactor…  _only after the space incident and that was only because he had to put in a new one… and I was so out of it that that doesn't really count._

Ignoring the part of his brain that yelled at him to make a snarky remark about Bruce admiring his chest and to NOT do what he was about to do, he reached forward slowly, watching the way the blue light of the Reactor shone off of Bruce's dorky glasses, and grabbed the physicist's hand. Bruce started but stayed still as Tony pulled the hand forward and placed it on the Reactor. He held his own hand over the slightly larger one  _(well you know what they say about guys with big hands…)_  and his eyes flicked up to Bruce's face… and met his eyes.

They knelt on the floor. Bruce with one hand full of papers and one hand over Tony's heart. Tony with one hand steadying himself on the floor and the other over the hand that was on his heart. And their eyes were locked. Neither moved, neither wanted to move. Their breathing was the only sound to be heard in the lab.  _When did JARVIS turn off the AC-DC?_  Tony wondered absentmindedly. Bruce and Tony shared a moment. On the lab floor. By a bunch of loose papers. They shared the perfect moment.

And then JARVIS interrupted. " _Excuse me Sir, Dr. Banner, but the rest of the Avengers have arrived in the lobby. Should I buzz them up?"_ Bruce jumped away and turned back to his loose papers.

"Yeah, yeah, JARVIS let them up to the penthouse. We'll be there soon."

" _Of course Sir."_

* * *

 

After JARVIS broke their moment,  _Is that what that was? Was he allowed to label it?_  Bruce hurriedly turned back to the papers he'd dropped when he had seen Tony's glistening, tense back.  _That moment… did that_ _ **mean**_ _anything? I mean… he couldn't really…_

Bruce just nodded when he vaguely heard Tony mutter something to himself about rewiring JARVIS, and, slightly louder, to Bruce this time, something about a shirt… and meeting him upstairs in 10 minutes. The door swung shut and Bruce thought it was finally safe to look up. He heaved a sigh into the now silent lab.  _Did that really just happen? Did he really hold my hand over his heart? No… no that couldn't be it. He was just… letting me feel the Reactor. Yeah, that's it._ But his stubborn heart refused to slow down.

A low grumble started in the back of his mind and made its way to the front,  _ **Is Bruce in danger?**_  the Hulk asked.

_No… no I'm fine. I'm not afraid. That's not why my heart rates up…_

Hulk thought for a moment  _ **…You IS scared…**_

 _What?_  Bruce asked startledly.

The Hulk grumbled in confirmation,  _ **You IS scared. Puny Bruce is scared of… feelings… Scared that Tin Man will reject your love…**_

_Love? Who said anything about love?_

The Hulk sniffed disdainfully,  _ **You just did. You feel same now as when you were with nice Betty.**_

_I… I do?_

The Hulk humphed in confirmation,  _ **Hulk like Tony more than Betty. She love Bruce but scream and scared of Hulk. Tony never scared by Hulk. Tony talk to Hulk. Tony make Hulk a place JUST for us. A warm room. Not a cage. Where I can smash and you can cry and not be afraid. Hulk like Tony.**_

_Oh… but it doesn't matter what I feel… Tony's my best friend…_

Hulk chuckled  _ **Bruce STUPID!**_

_Hey!_

Hulk sniffed loudly, not deigning that with a response,  _ **Is it time for puny paperwork?**_

Bruce sighed and ran a hand through his tousled hair,  _Yeah… do you want to be out for this?_

Hulk thought,  _ **No. Puny Bruce already tired. Hulk will tell you and you write it down.**_

 _Okay Big Guy. Let's go._ Bruce made his way out of the lab and to the penthouse. As he entered, he headed straight for the kitchen.  _God I need some tea_. "Greetings Healer Banner!" a loud voice boomed from the living room. He jumped. Literally jumped and spun to face… Thor.

"…Hello Thor… Why are you here?"

Thor grinned widely, "I arrived this afternoon to pass on Loki's verdict to the Man of Fury. And was informed there would be a team gathering here tonight to tell the tale of our battle!"

Steve sighed, "We're not telling the tale Thor. We're writing down  **exactly** what happened so that we have it all clear."

Bruce smiled at Thor as he busied himself making his tea in the kitchen, "Hulk agrees with Thor. It IS telling a story, basically." Hulk snorted as Thor looked with interest at him.

"Do you now converse with the Man of Rage, Healer Banner?" he seemed genuinely pleased as Bruce nodded. "Wonderful! And while I am visiting Midgard, perhaps he and I could spar together?"

Hulk rumbled happily, and Bruce nodded again. But before he could speak, a voice called out from behind him, "We'll have to set up a few rules though so neither of you accidentally tear down the Tower. I mean, the last time the Hulk fought a god in here, it nearly  **destroyed**  my living room."

Thor's wide smile seemed to grow, as impossible as that was, "Man of Iron! We are all here! Now we may start the story telling?"

Bruce chuckled as the kettle whistled; he turned to the stove, pouring himself a cup of the steaming water and letting the leaves of his favorite tea soak. Suddenly, an arm reached around him, grabbing the box of tea. Bruce stiffened slightly before he realized it was Tony. "Rage Monster acting up?" he said conversationally even as his mouth was too close to Bruce's hair.

Bruce turned, leveling a glare that he knew was sprinkled with green at Tony, and caught his breath. Tony's hair was wet and tousled and curling slightly at the edges, obviously he'd decided to take a shower before coming out, and his skin was damp, as if he hadn't bothered to dry himself properly. He wore black sweats and a loose red button-up shirt with most of the buttons undone. Bruce's heart pounded furiously as he tried to keep his eyes away from Tony's chest and his stomach,  _Oh my god. Are those actually his abs? for a guy who does all of his fighting inside a suit, he sure is well defined_. He took a sip of the still scalding tea, soothing him… somewhat.

Tony copied his sip, took one last look at Bruce, then turned back to the group in the living room, "Welcome, welcome to my magnificent home!" He patted Thor's shoulder, "I know YOU are Point Break, but is anyone else hungry? If I'm expected to actually sit and do paperwork I'm going to need a full stomach and preferably a drink in my hand. Come on, come on, anything, my treat."

The rest glanced at each other, unsure till Bruce came in and calmly told JARVIS he wanted 'All of it' from his favorite Indian restaurant. Then the rest jumped in…

30 minutes later, all the food arrived and they dug in. Bruce only blushed a couple times when he passed something to Tony and they're fingers lingered a little longer than necessary,  _Could he…_  finally, the food was mostly eaten and it was time for paperwork.

* * *

 

Natasha had $275 riding on this. She'd felt the chemistry between the doctor and the genius the moment they'd first met on the bridge. She'd worked for Stark long enough to recognize his signs of attraction and she'd read enough of Banner's style to know that he never let anyone in… So when Tony had first shaken the Bruce's hand, commented without any fear about the Hulk, and Bruce hadn't pushed him away… she knew there would be something going on there soon enough, and made a mental note to find the people who'd started the pool on her and Clint and start one of her own.

Clint hadn't been there for that of course, but he HAD been there for the battle. Had seen Stark's unwavering faith in both the doctor and Hulk. Had witnessed Hulk snatch Tony from his death fall and had heard, if not seen, the Hulk's roar of anger, and more than a hint of sadness, that had restarted the Reactor and woken Tony. And yet he STILL refused to believe that it was anything more than friendship, mutual respect, and being part of a team for the first time for both of them. She had shaken her head and bet him. And he had forgotten one of the first things he'd learned after they became partners… NEVER bet against the Black Widow. As soon as they got together, she'd be sure to rub it in his face forever.

She sat on the back of the couch sharpening her knives noisily. Clint sat on the floor below her, hunched over the coffee table and redoing his paperwork. She could have easily sharpened her knives silently, but it was more fun to see him flinch every time she paused or did slip into silence. She smirked and resumed the noise, and he relaxed.

She glanced away from him, to where Tony, Bruce and Thor were apparently doing their best to drive Steve slowly insane. She grinned as she noticed the quick, sneaked looks between Banner and Stark when they thought the other wasn't paying attention. Oh yeah, she'd be collecting her $275 from Barton any day now.

Tony flexed his fingers.  _Why, oh why, does SHIELD insist on handwritten reports? I haven't written this much since… well, I can't even remember when!_ He sighed and ran a hand through his now dry hair. It was nearing midnight and they still hadn't finished. Well, Thor, Hulk and Tony hadn't finished. Clint had finished in under an hour leaving him and Natasha to investigate the training rooms Tony had built. They were now back and were curled up on the couch dozing off.  _They're cute,_  Tony had to admit,  _when they're not trying to kill each other or anyone else anyways._

He glanced around at the other Avengers. Thor and Steve looked ready to pass out even as Steve read what Thor claimed to be "the utter truth of what happened regarding my brother." Tony glanced down and realized with a surge of happiness that all that was left was his signature and he'd be done with this god awful paperwork. Tony signed with a flourish then glanced up at Bruce. Bruce had finished writing his report some time ago but had stayed reading it again and again and having a silent conversation with the Hulk. Bruce now however laid his papers down and, when he noticed Tony's gaze, blinked sleepily at him from behind his glasses and smiled lazily. Tony felt that flutter in his chest again as his and Bruce's eyes locked across the table.

This time though, Steve was the one to interrupt their moment, not JARVIS. "We're done!" he said happily, followed quickly by a yawn.

Tony eyed his fellow teammates, none of them looked awake enough to make their way back home. So, in a flash of openness, he spoke, "Great! And you're all welcome to stay here for the night, since none of you is in any shape to get yourself home."

Clint and Natasha glanced at each other, Steve looked embarrassed behind another yawn, and Thor simply stood with a shrug of his great shoulders. "I accept your warm hospitality Son of Stark. Where shall I bed?" Tony looked expectantly at the rest who simply nodded underneath his gaze.

"Point Break, you're on the 68th floor; Capsicle, the 67th; and for the assassins, you're both on the 69th. There are beds, showers, whatever you could want, but the kitchens aren't stocked. If you need something to eat or drink or anything, you'll have to come back up here. And don't hesitate to ask JARVIS for anything."

The rest raised their eyebrows, Tony Stark usually wasn't this generous, but they weren't arguing. They mumbled goodnight to Tony and dragged themselves to the elevator. As Bruce approached the elevator however, Tony called out to him, "Bruce? I have a question for you about the results of an earlier experiment. They aren't consistent, and I need an extra brain to check these figures." Tony could see Bruce think and he held his breath, praying he'd stay.

Finally, with a soft "Goodnight" to the people in the elevator, Bruce did just that.

Bruce turned around slowly to face Tony as the elevator doors slid closed behind him. "Which experiment, Tony?" Tony however ignored him and turned to the bar, pouring himself a large scotch. Bruce cocked his eyebrow.  _Tony hasn't drank anything besides beer tonight and now he's pulling out the strong drinks, something's up._  Bruce settled himself back into his chair at the kitchen table and repeated himself, "Which experiment, Tony?"

This time though Tony seemed to hear him; he took a deep drink from his glass then flopped onto the couch. "I'll tell you… over here though Bruce." Bruce sighed, stood, and settled into the couch beside Tony.

Before he could ask again though, Tony had swung his legs into Bruce's lap. Bruce attempted to ignore the deep flutters in his chest as Tony rambled on about something he'd done earlier. Bruce listened and figured out what Tony hadn't seen. He told the other man, then moved Tony's legs gently off of his own and stood, making his way to the elevator.

As he reached it however, Tony's voice sounded from nearer than he should have been. Bruce spun around, pressing his back against the wall for support. Tony stood in front of him, far enough away to not block the doctor in, but near enough to touch.  _If only I could just reach out and touch him. Hold him…_ "Is that how this is going to go then?" Tony's words broke through Bruce's thoughts.

"How what is going to go?" Bruce forced a question from his fluttering body. He felt as if Tony's proximity had set him on fire.  _A good kind of fire._

"You're not going to bring up what happened in the lab and I'm going to have to." Tony's words startled Bruce.

"Wh… what… do you mean… happened in the lab?" Bruce stuttered.

Tony sighed and ran a hand through his hair and just looked at him. Then, lightning fast, he grabbed Bruce's hand in his own and brought it back up to his chest. The Arc Reactor was cool to the touch and solid. "Oh," Bruce murmured weakly, " **that** …"

"Yeah  **that** Bruce. I've been thinking…" Bruce winced.  _I know what's coming. Tony will reject me. Tell me that maybe it'd be better if we didn't work together._ He could feel his heart crack until he realized that his hand was still on the Reactor and Tony's was still over his.  _Holding it there._ Bruce licked his dry lips nervously and Tony groaned. "I love you, but would you please STOP doing that? Or at least wait for a second till I can taste those lips myself?" and Tony leaned in…

Bruce's mind was in shock as Tony's lips caught his own and his body pressed his into the wall. His body however didn't wait for his mind to catch up before responding. With one hand still spread over Tony's heart, his other reached up and tangled itself in the hair at the nape of Tony's neck, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss.

Tony's hand that had not been holding Bruce's to his heart, wrapped around the doctor's back simultaneously pulling him closer as his body pressed him further into the wall. As Bruce's nimble fingers ran through Tony's hair, Tony moaned into Bruce's mouth. He'd wanted this for soooo long, and now he finally got it.

They broke apart a minute later. Reluctantly, only out of the need for air, did their lips part. Their ragged breaths were the only sound in the silent apartment and as Bruce eyed Tony, he knew what he wanted.

Tony found himself pinned to the wall.  _How did Bruce spin me around that fast?_ That thought soon left his mind as Bruce nuzzled his mouth into Tony's neck. Tony gasped as Bruce nipped, kissed, and licked. But when Bruce started sucking on THAT spot, Tony cried out, grabbing desperately at Bruce's shirt and pulled him even closer. Bruce groaned into Tony's collarbone and mumbled against the flushed skin, "I love you too Tony." Tony's heart did somersaults.  _He loves me! He loves me!_  Tony grabbed Bruce's face and pressed their lips together again.

Bruce grinned into the almost chaste kiss. Hulk had been right. Bruce WAS stupid.  _ **Told you. I always right**_.

Tony mumbled into Bruce's mouth, "Do you realize how incredibly hot it is when your talking to the Hulk and your eyes mix between brown and green?"

Bruce pressed closer into Tony, their body's fit together like two missing puzzle pieces, "I think…" he gasped between kisses, "…we should… consider taking this… to…  _ohhhhhh_ … to a… a bedroom…"

"Best idea I've heard all night," Tony grinned and led Bruce by their entwined hands to do just that.

* * *

 

The next morning, when Tony showed up to breakfast sporting a hickey and was trailed by a disheveled Dr. Banner wearing one of Tony's favorite band t-shirts, Natasha just grinned pointedly at Clint till he grudgingly took out his wallet and counted out the $275.

FIN


	3. Behind the Scenes or Why Natasha and Clint Bet $275 on Bruce and Tony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why did Clint and Natasha bet such an uneven amount of money?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written to clear up any confusion to the bet. The style is different because I wrote it later. Hope you enjoy

Once upon a time there were two wonderful little spy/assassins who were partners (and also totally in love though neither would ever admit it). Their names were Natasha " **The Black Widow** " Romanoff and Clint " **Hawkeye** " Barton- known simply to others as "Strike Team Delta." They were the best at what they did.

They were living their happy (well, happy for them anyways) SHIELD lives when Hawkeye became mind-controlled by an evil psychopathic alien/god. Then, like a badass, the Black Widow rescued her partner from said psychopathic god. And this is where things get interesting.

You see, these two partners were part of a larger, definitely more on the "super" side of "super-hero," group called the Avengers. This group (along with the Black Widow and Hawkeye) consisted of:  **Captain America** , aka Steve Rogers, the original super-soldier from the 40's recently unfrozen;  **Thor Odinson** , yes, THAT Thor, God of Thunder from Asgard;  **Ironman** , aka Tony Stark, genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist; and last (but definitely not least)  **the Hulk** , aka Doctor Bruce Banner, expert in gamma radiation and anger management techniques. All of whom were brought together by the Director of SHIELD-  **Nick Fury** \- with the assistance of Senior Agent  **Phil Coulson**.

But I digress because the only other members who are important at the moment are Tony Stark and Bruce Banner. You see, after the Battle of New York the Hawk and the Widow made a little wager. And this is that story…

* * *

 

_On a mission after the Loki Incident: The Black Widow has set up undercover in a hotel room. Hawkeye is her back up, on the building across the way. 2 hours before the op is set to go down, they're in position with nothing to do besides talk over the com link:_

…

"No way."

"Way."

"Nu-uh. They are not in love."

"They are."

"No, they aren't."

"Look I know you weren't there when they first met-"

"If 'weren't there' means 'being controlled by a crazy god' then yes, I wasn't there."

"-BUT you totally saw the way they were during the battle."

"I had a little on my hands, like the ALIEN INVADERS."

"You had enough time on your hands to disagree with me about Budapest."

"Oh, you're  **still** going on about that?"

"But you really didn't notice them? Seriously?"

"What? We're a team now, right? They were being teammates."

"But you really didn't notice anything extra?"

"Again, ALIEN. INVADERS."

"Jeez Barton, you'd think you were blind as well as deaf."

"Well excuse me Little Miss Red Room, maybe I grew up like a normal person."

"The circus is how normal people grow up in America, is it?"

"Oh, whatever."

"So what's your take on them then, if they AREN'T in love?"

"Well they're friends. They're sciency aren't they? Geeky guys. They respect each other cuz of science mumbo-jumbo."

"So that's it? They're friends and teammates and respect each other?"

"Yeah. That's it."

"Alright… Bet on it."

"What?"

"You heard me, Barton. Bet. On. It. Or are you chicken?"

"Oh you are so on Romanoff. How much?"

"How much was the last bet?"

"If I recall correctly… we bet a dinner at Antonio's in London."

"Right, right. How much was that in total?"

"Well  _you_  ordered approximately… $275 worth of food you barely even touched."

"It was soooo good though. But, there's no place like Antonio's in New York… How bout you just give me $275?"

"Hey! You can't just assume I'll be paying you!"

"Yes I can. $275 Barton. You in or out?"

"Fine. A deal it is."

_*And thus, the bet was made._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This work was originally published on Fanfiction.net and Wattpad.

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally posted on Fanfiction.net and Wattpad


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